Abdominal truss



(No Model.)

P. & T. H. WILLIAMS.

, I ABDOMINAL TRUSS. No. 368,040. Patented Aug. 9 1887.

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UNITE STATES PATENT Face.

FREDERICK \VILLIAMS AND THOMAS H. \VILLIAMS, OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI.

ABDOMINAL TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,040, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed March 7, 1891'. Serial No. 320,915. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK WILLTAMs and THOMAS H.WILLIAMS, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Trusses; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the-same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in abdominal trusses, the object of the same being to provide a device that will be selfadj usting to the person of the wearer, the connection of the pad to its supporting-bar being effected in a simple and secure manner that will permit a yielding of the attached pad in every direction.

A further object is to produce alight,strong, and convenient truss that will be comfortable in use and that can be cheaply manufactured.

With these objects in view our invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts that willbe hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a plan in perspective of the truss complete, ready for application to the body of the wearer. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the supporting-bar and attached pad on a line through the center of one of the securing-clamps. Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the abdominal pad with the capplates removed from the springcavities to show the interior construction of the same.

In trusses for abdominal support as heretofore constructed it has-been found impossible to make a secure attachment of the pad to the supporting'bar, as the clamps are generally made to clamp on a rounded surface. This is a defect that renders a truss comparatively useless in connection with the upward pressure and natural healing treatment, as the want of a stable connection between the parts named will prevent a proper bearing of the pad or its assured adjustment topress at a proper point and in a proper direction upon the abdominal wall.

We will proceed to describe the construction of our improved truss and the simple means of correcting the evil just mentioned, as well as the mannerin which a limited yielding movement of the pad on its spring attachweight. The bar A is semi-cylindrical in form on its outer surface and flat on the side or portion that is opposite the pad. (See Fig. 1.) This formation of the bar extends to points a a,near the outer edges of the clamps O O, that connect the pad 13 to the bar A, as will be explained.

From the points a a the padsupporting bar A is twisted in the body to reverse the position of its rounded surface, which by a halfturn is made to lie in contact with the body of the wearer and thus afford a smooth contour ofparts to avoid injurious abrasion of the skin. From the points a a the free ends of the pad-supporting bars are continued to produce elastic springs, these portions being bent upwardly to conform to the hips and be secured belowlthe small of the back to avoid injury to the kidneys. Toward the ends of these springs the material is flattened to give increased pliability. These ends and more or less of the side and front portions of the rods are preferably covered with soft leather, and may be slightly padded on their inner surfaces to avoid discomfort incidental to the contact of unyielding material with the muscular tissue or spinal column of the wearer of such an appliance. The trussis secured by a buckle and strap, m, or by any other approved method.

It should be stated in this connection that it is important that the bar A should have its inner flat surface inclined to conform to the curved wall of the abdomen to hold the attached pad at a proper angle to afford an upward support,and not aninj urious downward pressure, as would be given if the pad were not so supported.

The pad B (see Fig. 2) is preferably made of suitable wood curved to conform to the portion of the body it is intended to bear upon and support, and it maybe stated that it is in contemplation to have these pads varied in shape to suit the conformation of different patients.

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\Ve do not restrict ourselves to the use of wood as a material from which to construct the pad, as hard rubber and other substances of like nature may be utilized to advantage in its manufacture.

It will be noticed that two cavities, b b, are excavated in the surface of the pad 13. These are circular in form and of a proper depth to afford space for the expansion of the springs, which will now be described. These springs D D are preferably made of a non-oxidizing metal and are volute in form, the flat spirals being of such a relative diameter that their circumferential edges will have a bearing upon the recessed edge 0 c of the cavities formed for their reception. The inner ends of the springs D D are rigidly secured to the shanks of the studs d d, which are made to project a proper distance outside the cap-plates e c, that have a bearing upon the flattened surface of the pad 13, and are secured on the same by screws, as shown in Fig. 2.

Flanges d d are formed upon the free projecting ends of the studs d d, which flanges are adapted to engage with the fiat surface of their heads on the opposed flattened inner surface of the supporting-bar A when the pad B is placed in close adjustment thereto.

A fixed attachment of the pad B to the bar A is made by the screw-clamps E E, which consist of metallic clips that are made with inwardly-projecting lips i 1 to hook under the projecting flanges dd, that constitute the heads of the studs (Z (1. Each clamp isprovided with a set-screw, 71, the heads of which are slotted to permit a close adjustment of the screw-clamps E E to hold the pad and its supporting-bar in stable connection.

The holes formed in the cap-plates c c are of such relative diameter to the thickness of the shanks of the studs (1 d that these shanks may be inclined slightly in any direction from a perpendicular line at right angles to the capplates 0 c, which is their normal position.

It is evident that the foregoing described construction of the parts, constituting the securing-attachment of the pad to its support ing-bar, and their relative arrangement, will allow a yielding movement of the pad to permit it to conform to any change of position of the wearer of the truss which will afford co1nfort in use while the necessary support of the abdominal wall is maintained.

As the volute springs we employ to give elasticity to the connection of the pad B and bar A are flat coils, and consequently take up little space considered in relation to the depth of the cavities in which they are located, a considerable range of expansion of these springs is afforded by their distention toward the lower surface of these cavities when subjected to pressure, and a further point of advantage in our method of construction consists in the comparative shortness of the connecting-studs (Z (Z, that can be employed to effect the connection of the pad B and bar A and obtain the necessary pliability or yielding action of the pad, the fiat inner surface of the bar permitting a secure clamping of the studs thereon, as has been previously mentioned.

The particular construction of the pad and its yielding connection or connections with the studs which attach it to the supportingbar, as hereinabove described, are not intended to form a part or parts of this present application, but are reserved as the subjectmatter of a separate application to be hereafter filed.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a truss, the combination, with a nonflexible supportingbar constructed to extend across and around the sides of the body, of a pad-supporting stud having a bearing directly on the bar,and means for clamping the stud to the bar, the said stud extending at essentially right angles to the supporting-bar and the contaetsurface between the end of the stud and the supporting-bar being oblique to the horizontal plane of the said supporting-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a truss, the combination, with a supporting-bar having a flattened stud-bearing face on its side toward the body, the said face being oblique to the horizontal plane of the bar, of a pad, a stud secured to the pad, and means for clamping the stud to the said flattened face, whereby the pad is caused to press upwardly when the bar is drawn toward the body and is held securely in position, sub stantially as set forth.

3. In a truss, a half-round supporting-bar, its central or front portion having the flat side opposed to the stud of the supporting-pad, and having a twist at each end of the front portion, whereby the portions which lie next the body present the rounded side thereto, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F tEDERlOK \VILTJIAMS. THOMAS H. XVILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

Ormnnns O. LOGAN, Asnunr J UDLIN. 

